From Publishers Weekly
A call girl warns former cop Matthew Scudder that a homicidal psycho he helped convict is out of jail and seeking revenge. "The New York settings are superbly authentic, the dialogue is hip . . . and the resolution . . . is hair-raising," said PW. Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.



"Absolutely Riveting . . . Non-Stop Tension And A Finish That Will Leave You Bug-Eyed"



"This Is Primo Stuff"



"A Smooth, Chilling Suspense Novel That Stretches Nerves Wire-Tight"


Book Description

Twelve years ago, Matthew Scudder lied to a jury to put James Leo Motley behind bars. Now the ingenious psychopath is free. And the alcoholic ex-cop-turned-p.i. must pay dearly for his sins. Friends and former lovers -- even strangers unfortunate enough to share Scudder's name -- are turning up dead. Because a vengeful maniac is determined not to rest until he's driven his nemesis back to the bottle...and then to the boneyard.


About the Author
A Mystery Writers of America Grand Master, Lawrence Block is a four-time winner of the Edgar Allan Poe and Shamus Awards, as well as a recipient of prizes in France, Germany, and Japan. The author of more than fifty books and numerous short stories, he is a devout New Yorker who spends much of his time traveling.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Twelve years ago, Matthew Scudder lied to a jury to put James Leo Motley behind bars. Now the brilliant psychopath is free—and the alcoholic ex-cop-turned-p.i. must pay. Friends and former lovers, even strangers unfortunate enough to share Scudder's name, are turning up dead — because a vengeful maniac won't rest until he's driven his nemesis back to the bottle...and then to the grave.

Author Biography:

Lawrence Block is a Mystery Writers of America Grand Master and a multiple winner of the Edgar, Shamus, and Maltese Falcon awards. His fifty-plus books include the Matthew Scudder novels, the most recent being the critically acclaimed Everybody Dies, and the New York Times bestseller Hit Man. Mr. Block is a devout New Yorker who spends much of his time traveling.

FROM THE CRITICS

Boston Herald

A Smooth, Chilling Suspense Novel That Stretches Nerves Wire-Tight.

Washington Post Book World

Absolutely Riveting . . . Non-Stop Tension And A Finish That Will Leave You Bug-Eyed.

New York Times Book Review

This Is Primo Stuff.

Washington Post Book World

Absolutely Riveting . . . Non-Stop Tension And A Finish That Will Leave You Bug-Eyed.

Publishers Weekly

This is as near perfect as a private-eye thriller can get. Block is the utter professional, a master who holds the reader in the palm of his hand for as long as the pages need to be turned. His hero is former cop Matthew Scudder, now coasting as a part-time investigator and faithfully attending AA meetings on the side. A former flame, a savvy call girl, tells him that a psycho who came into her life many years ago (and whom Scudder helped send to jail) is out and seeking revenge on both of them. A friend, a call girl gone straight, is killed along with her whole family in Ohio, and Scudder gets on the case, fighting for his own life and, as the killer's murderous capabilities become apparent, for the lives of everyone he knows. The New York settings are superbly authentic, the dialogue is hip, sometimes touching but never mawkish, and the resolution--after Scudder's old cop buddies decline involvement in what looks too much like a personal vendetta--is hair-raising. Almost anyone writing suspense fiction could learn a great deal from Block; and those in search of sophisticated thrills need look no further. BOMC alternate. (Sept.) Read all 6 "From The Critics" >

WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING

A powerhouse...a tough, lurid, sharp-edged thriller that packs a whallop from page one. — William J. Caunitz